Round 5 is done and dusted and there is plenty to unpack.
Former Collingwood coach and superstar Nathan Buckley has put together his takeaways in The Buck Stops Here.
On his mind this week are the problems at the Bulldogs, Essendon’s perfect storm, the shuffles at the Crows and more.
Read his thoughts below:
Bevo and the Bulldogs
Essendon’s perfect storm
“It was actually quite an easy coaching opportunity for Brad Scott because he didn’t have all of the players at his disposal,” Buckley said on SEN Breakfast.
“So in the end, what he knew and the experience last week of Zak Butters, Connor Rozee and Jason Horne-Francis going nuts he knew that we had to take the opposition’s key match-winners out of the game.
“What we was able to do was use young players against the opposition’s absolute champions and then let his more mature players go to work.
“It was Sam Durham on Marcus Bontempelli, it was Jye Caldwell on Tom Liberatore. Two important roles for two young players that he rates and values. He would have been so impressed with what he saw.
“They learnt a lot from the week before.
“I love Harrison Jones and his work rate. If I’m a Bombers supporters I’m looking at his effort and attitude. He can take marks in a pack, he’s got great pressure and work ethic at ground level which I don’t reckon a lot of key forwards have.
“He looks to me to be a tall marking player who has been a small kid at some point and knows how to play ground level. I reckon he was great.
“So that’s three young players there in - Durham, Jones and Caldwell - who played really well.
“Zach Merrett, Andrew McGrath and Darcy Parish stood up and played their roles as great experienced players and leaders.
“I thought Xavier Duursma, Ben McKay and Todd Goldstein as three of their four recruits (also played well), (while) Jade Gresham was quiet.
“Everything went Essendon’s way. We talk about the ‘edge’ but they just had a crack. They were able to blunt the best elements of the opposition and ended up exposing them.
“It was a bit of a perfect storm for Brad Scott.”
Crows shuffle the deck chairs
St Kilda’s running power
“Ross Lyon has got a young group that he’s building towards something.
“The overwhelming thing I was impressed with is their running power. The Giants are as strong a running team as any.
“The last quarter showed the running power the Saints have. Riley Bonner and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera off the back, Jack Sinclair went mid/forward a little bit, Darcy Wilson off the wing. He put his wingman to the sword to kick a late goal.
“I like where the Saints are at, but they’ve got issues in the midfield, they lack depth there.
“It sounds like they’ve got a war chest to go to market with.
“I still think they’ll finish sixth or seventh.”
Jeremy Cameron on fire
“Can Jeremy Cameron break the midfield dominance of the Brownlow?
“Can he be the first player since Tony Lockett in 1987 to win the Coleman-Brownlow double?
“The first half of last year he was far and away the best player in the competition. Then he got knocked out by his own player (Gary Rohan) and in the back-half of the year he dropped off as Geelong dropped off.
“He’s going from strength to strength. He’s a brilliant player to watch. I hope that we see a full season of this from Cameron.
“I would be amazed if he didn’t win awards left, right and centre because of it.”
